Best Time to Visit Las Vegas for a Red Rock Canyon Day Trip

The Scenic Drive is a 13-mile (21 km) paved, one-way route with pull-outs for viewpoints, trailheads and picnic areas. Driving the full route takes about 40 minutes without stops, so leave extra time if you plan to get out along the way.

Its operating hours vary by season: 6 a.m.–5 p.m. from November through February, 6 a.m.–7 p.m. in March and October, and 6 a.m.–8 p.m. from April through September. It has shorter hours on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day, when it is open from 6 a.m. to noon.

Timed-entry reservations are required from October 1 through May 31 for entry between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. They are not required from June 1 through September 30.

Each reservation covers one private vehicle, motorcycle or scooter and one entry time. You can arrive up to 30 minutes early and stay until the Scenic Drive closes; leaving the route means you need a new reservation to re-enter.

Reservations are available up to 30 days in advance and again two days in advance, with each booking window opening at 7 a.m. Pacific Time. Check the Bureau of Land Management’s official site before you go for current access and reservation details.

The Moenkopi Loop is an easy 2.1-mile (3.4 km) trail that starts near the Visitor Center. It can pair naturally with a stop there, or you can make the Scenic Drive’s trailhead pull-outs part of a longer day outdoors.

Parking is allowed in designated lots, and you should not drive off the road onto vegetation if a lot is full. Parking areas may close when full; the busiest periods are 9 a.m.–3 p.m. on weekends, holidays and fee-free days. Plan your stops with those busy times in mind.

For facilities, the Visitor Center has flush toilets and water-bottle refill stations. Vault toilets along the Scenic Drive do not have water, so fill your bottle before continuing along the route.

The Red Rock Canyon Visitor Center gives you a place to get information and refill water before heading along the Scenic Drive. It has indoor and outdoor exhibits, plant specimens, live desert tortoise habitats, an information desk, a gift shop and a bookstore.

The Visitor Center is open daily from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. On Thanksgiving and Christmas Day, it is open from 8 a.m. to noon. Its flush toilets and refill stations are useful facilities to use before relying on the vault toilets along the route.

Start by checking whether your visit requires a timed-entry reservation, then choose a Scenic Drive entry time that leaves room for stops. The full drive takes about 40 minutes without stopping, but its pull-outs let you break up the route for viewpoints, a trailhead or a picnic.

If the Visitor Center is part of your plan, go during its opening hours and use its refill station before heading farther along the drive.

You can add the Moenkopi Loop near the center, or select a trailhead pull-out along the route. Keep in mind that parking can fill during the busiest periods and that designated lots are the only places to park.

Rooms at A Fisher's in Las Vegas are one accommodation option for a trip based in the city.